How America's first fine dining restaurant, Delmonico's, serves 400 pounds of steak a day

Tech Insider : Business, Style

Of the nearly 750,000 restaurants across the United States, only one can claim it started it all.

I made Ina Garten's easy pasta salad. It's so good that I'll be bringing it to every cookout this summer.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
Ina Garten's summery pasta salad with tomatoes, olives, and feta.
Ina Garten's tomato feta pasta salad is officially my new go-to summer side dish.

Lizzy Briskin

I'm Wolfgang Puck. At 76, retirement sounds a lot less fun than opening another restaurant.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
Headshot of Wolfgang Puck.
Chef Wolfgang Puck says he's never had to "work" a day in his life.

Arturo Holmes/Getty Images

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Wolfgang Puck, a 76-year-old chef based in Los Angeles. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I compared similar meals at Gordon Ramsay Steak and Papi Steak. One was way more worth the splurge.

Tech Insider : Business
papi steak and gordon ramsay steak
I compared similar meals at Gordon Ramsay Steak and Papi Steak to see which famous steakhouse was worth the splurge.

Erin McDowell/Business Insider

Meet the 31-year-old set to take over Wolfgang Puck's culinary empire. He got his start washing dishes at 12.

Tech Insider : Business, Sports
Byron Lazaroff-Puck and Wolfgang Puck at the Annual Academy Awards in 2024.
Byron Lazaroff-Puck (left) and Wolfgang Puck (right) at the Annual Academy Awards in 2024.

JC Olivera/Getty Images

I tried Arby's new 'Top Chef'-approved French Dip Royale sandwich. It levels up a classic.

Tech Insider : Business
arby's french dip royale sandwich
The French Dip Royale meal came with a drink and a side.

Gabbi Shaw/Business Insider

I tried stuffed-pepper recipes from Ree Drummond, Giada De Laurentiis, and Alex Guarnaschelli, and the best was very filling

Tech Insider : Business
Three stuffed peppers on a plate.
I compared stuffed-pepper recipes from three celebrity chefs: Alex Guarnaschelli (red), Ree Drummond (orange), and Giaia De Laurentiis (yellow).

Abigail Abesamis Demarest

Wolfgang Puck feeds 1,700 stars after the Oscars. He says the real challenge isn't the food.

Tech Insider : Business, Style
Wolfgang Puck in the kitchen at the 2026 Oscars.
Wolfgang Puck in the temporary kitchen next to the Dolby Theatre for the Governors Ball.

Barbara Munker/picture alliance via Getty Images

I tried meatloaf recipes from Ina Garten, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best one beat the Barefoot Contessa's

Tech Insider : Business
Three different meat-loaf dishes.
I decided to compare meatloaf recipes from three celebrity chefs.

Abigail Abesamis Demarest

I tried Guy Fieri's tips for making the perfect sandwich. They were all easy ways to upgrade such a basic lunch.

Tech Insider : Business
guy fieri sandwich tips
I tried Guy Fieri's tips for making the perfect sandwich at home.

Paige Bennett for Insider

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